A new study by the Emerson Congressional Hunger Center shows thousands of seniors and people with disabilities in western Washington are practically starving.
The study estimates there are about 3000 in public housing who either miss meals or are in danger of going hungry.
Retiree Mary Rolfe suffers from arthritis and tells Q13 Fox News "we don't live on social security, we survive - barely".
The non-profit group "Solid Ground" works with the city of Seattle and several other organizations to take brown bag groceries to some of the seniors in need.
According to Solid Ground Development Director Paul Haas, "we're doing deliveries in 5 buildings... but there's 28 buildings with seniors and people with disabilities throughout Seattle."
The study says these people are vulnerable because they can't get to food banks that pass out the groceries.
They also have a difficult time getting to grocery stores and the prices are often over their budget.
"People don't know, they don't know that there's people in these buildings who are elderly and disabled and who are suffering," said Partners in Caring Supervisor Ugochi Alams.
The bad economy means the brown bag program is more important than ever... but budget programs for many non-profit groups and the city could force the program to cut back at a time when they'd like to expand.
The study estimates there are about 3000 in public housing who either miss meals or are in danger of going hungry.
Retiree Mary Rolfe suffers from arthritis and tells Q13 Fox News "we don't live on social security, we survive - barely".
The non-profit group "Solid Ground" works with the city of Seattle and several other organizations to take brown bag groceries to some of the seniors in need.
According to Solid Ground Development Director Paul Haas, "we're doing deliveries in 5 buildings... but there's 28 buildings with seniors and people with disabilities throughout Seattle."
The study says these people are vulnerable because they can't get to food banks that pass out the groceries.
They also have a difficult time getting to grocery stores and the prices are often over their budget.
"People don't know, they don't know that there's people in these buildings who are elderly and disabled and who are suffering," said Partners in Caring Supervisor Ugochi Alams.
The bad economy means the brown bag program is more important than ever... but budget programs for many non-profit groups and the city could force the program to cut back at a time when they'd like to expand.
